New Year’s Eve: Revellers across the UK usher in 2020

New Year’s Eve: Revellers across the UK usher in 2020

Revellers across the UK have rung in the start of a new decade, with fireworks displays in London, Edinburgh and other major cities.

In London, some 12,000 fireworks lit up the capital’s skyline.

The UK’s “biggest street party” had been promised for Edinburgh as part of the city’s Hogmanay celebrations.

Firework shows are also being held in other cities including Manchester, Cardiff, Newcastle, Inverness and Nottingham.

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Image caption An explosion of colour lit the sky by Westminster Abbey

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Image caption The display – over the River Thames – was promised to be the best the capital had “ever seen” by London Mayor Sadiq Khan

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Image caption Some 100,000 revellers packed into the areas around the Victoria Embankment

In London, Big Ben’s chimes sounded the start of the display, despite them being silent this year while renovation work is completed.

Around 100,000 revellers packed into the streets around Victoria Embankment as the roar of football anthems such as Three Lions kicked off the new decade, with the festivities providing a prelude to the Euro 2020 football tournament.

Music from artists including Stormzy, Wiley and Bastille also featured in a display London Mayor Sadiq said would be the best the capital “has ever seen”.

“We may be leaving the European Union, but we’re not leaving Europe. So tonight’s fireworks celebrate us as a global city, us as a European city,” he added.

He stressed that London and the UK need to be brought “together again” in the 2020s.

“I’m not pretending that fireworks and one night can do that, but I think it’s really important [that] we celebrate, tonight, some great things about our city and our country,” he said.

In Edinburgh fireworks have been let off from the castle.

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Image caption In Edinburgh, street parties have been taking place to celebrate Hogmanay

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Image caption The city’s famous castle was the focal point for the fireworks display

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Image caption The Scottish capital was packed with people seeing in the new year and new decade

Musical artists including DJ Mark Ronson, Idlewild, Rudimental and Marc Almond have been performing on stages throughout the city centre.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the street party, which covers at least part of more than a dozen streets in the city centre.